Characterization of the circadian clock of sugarcane genotypes contrasting for sucrose and fiber content

• Grant number: 19/08534-0
• Support type: Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) - Regular Program Grants
• Duration: October 01, 2019 - September 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Takeshi Hotta
• Grantee: Carlos Takeshi Hotta
• Home Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The circadian clock is a signaling network that allows plants to track the time of the day. Plants with circadian clocks that are in synchrony with environmental rhythms assimilate more C, grow more, and have larger fitness than plants with altered circadian clocks. Traditional breeding methods have led to changes in the circadian clock of many crops, such as wheat, barley, and rice, which resulted in agronomical gains. This project aims to compare the circadian clock and sugar signaling pathways in different sugarcane genotypes. We expect to be able to compare the circadian clock properties of each genotype with their agronomical traits. Among the ten genotypes, we selected three commercial cultivars from different breeding programs, two Saccharum officinarum varieties, two S. spontaneum varieties, one S. robustum variety, one S. sinense variety, and one species of Erianthus arundinaceus. The ten chosen genotypes can be divided into two groups, with two different C partitioning patterns: high %Pol/low %Fiber and low %Pol/high %Fiber. These C partition pattern may be associated with changes in two sugar signaling pathways: the SnRK1/KIN10 pathway and the TORC pathway. Finally, we will try to associate the circadian clock with the SnRK1/KIN10 pathway and the TORC pathway in sugarcane. (AU)